Chicago
The Hawth, Crawley
‘Hello suckers, welcome back.’
Velma Kelly greets us in her typical straight-talking fashion as we settle in for Act II of Chicago at The Hawth Theatre Crawley, and really, after the explosive flapper style and seductive Jazz of Act I, was there any chance we weren’t coming back for more?
Set in the eponymous city during the 1920s, Chicago tells the story of the ‘Merry Murderesses’ of the Cook County Jail, set against a backdrop of Jazz babies and Vaudeville.
This staging, with direction recreated by Stacey Haynes, features the live orchestra placed onstage, seated on an extreme rake, alluding to the all important courtroom finale where jury and audience alike will be ‘Razzle Dazzle’d. Performers appear and disappear amongst the musicians, keeping us on our toes. The choreography is slick, the ensemble seamlessly guiding us through musical numbers and snappy scenes – original Choreographer Bob Fosse would be proud.
This 2022 international touring production presents us with several well-known names. Darren Day glitters as the showman-come-lawyer Billy Flynn, while West-End virtuoso Sinitta Malone draws us into her world of under-the-table bargains as Mama Morton. Exceptional performances, as anticipated, from Faye Brookes and Djalenga Scott as Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly respectively, with faultless delivery of well-loved musical numbers such as ‘All That Jazz’ and ‘Nowadays’ – and for those like me, late to the live-performance party, brilliant little nuggets that didn’t make it into the 2002 film, such as ‘My Own Best Friend’.
B E Wong’s Mary Sunshine is a study of opposites; playfully sincere, knowingly credulous – and an honourable mention must go to Harrison Wilde, appearing in this performance as a a very lovable Amos Hart, a clear favourite from this audience’s applause.
Chicago offers a wonderful welcome back to the theatre after a turbulent couple of years. You’ll be tapping your feet along to those Jazz syncopations from beginning to end. No surprise it earns the accolade of ‘longest running American musical in history’.
Direction by Walter Bobbie, Stacey Haynes
Choreography by Bob Fosse, Ann Reinking
Reviewer: Jemma Gould